Ajay barely registered his mother's voice calling after him as he left his father's study room.
"Ajay, stay for dinner, beta," Mrs. Devgan's hopeful voice followed him down the hallway.
But after the bombshell his father had just dropped on him? He had no interest in sitting through dinner, especially if it meant enduring his mother's matchmaking games. He ignored her and strode out of the mansion, his footsteps firm and unyielding.
The moment he stepped outside, the cool night air hit him, but it did nothing to ease the turmoil in his chest. His driver rushed forward to open the door of his black Bentley, but Ajay waved him off.
"I'll drive myself."
The driver hesitated, then nodded, stepping aside.
Sliding into the car, Ajay slammed the door shut and gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. His father's words replayed in his mind like a broken record.
You have an older brother.
A brother who had tried to ruin them.
A brother who hated them.
A brother he never knew existed.
Ajay exhaled sharply, starting the car and pulling out of the mansion's long driveway. The powerful engine roared as he sped through the empty streets of the city, his mind racing just as fast.
He didn't want to think about this. Didn't want to acknowledge that his entire life had been built on half-truths and buried secrets. But he couldn't ignore it either.
By the time he reached his penthouse, his thoughts were still tangled.
The large, modern space was dark when he entered. He didn't bother turning on the lights, just shrugged off his jacket and poured himself a drink. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, he stared at the city skyline, his jaw tight.
So his father had loved another woman. So he had a brother who wanted revenge.
Fine.
If Karan wanted to come after him, then Ajay would be ready.
Because if there was one thing Ajay Devgan didn't do, it was lose.
---
At the Hospital
Meanwhile, in the private ward of the hospital, Jaya and Chaya sat by Rekha's bedside, watching over her.
The rhythmic beep of the monitors had become familiar, but tonight, something was different.
Jaya, who had been dozing off in the chair, felt movement and immediately snapped awake.
"Chaya," she whispered urgently, nudging her younger sister.
Chaya blinked, rubbing her eyes. "What?"
Jaya didn't answer. She was too focused on their mother, whose fingers twitched slightly before her eyelids fluttered open.
"Mom!" Jaya gasped, leaning forward, her heart racing.
Chaya's eyes widened, and she quickly pressed the call button for the doctor.
Rekha's gaze was unfocused at first, but then it landed on Jaya and Chaya, a weak smile forming on her lips. "My girls…"
Tears welled up in Jaya's eyes. "Mom, you're awake…"
The door burst open, and the doctor entered, followed by a nurse. He immediately checked Rekha's vitals while the girls held their breath.
After a few moments, the doctor turned to them with a reassuring smile.
"She's doing well. The surgery was successful, and her body is responding positively. If everything continues like this, she'll be discharged in a week."
Jaya and Chaya exchanged relieved glances, their shoulders sagging as the weight of their worries lessened.
"Thank you, doctor," Jaya murmured, gripping her mother's hand tightly.
After the doctor left, Rekha looked at her daughters with soft eyes, but there was a question in them.
"How… did you manage to pay for the surgery?"
Jaya stiffened. She had been dreading this question.
"My boss… lent me the money," she said hesitantly.
But Rekha frowned. "Jaya."
Jaya looked away. "It's true, Mom. He—"
"Don't lie to me," Rekha interrupted. "I know you. Tell me the truth."
Chaya nodded in agreement. "Didi, just tell her. We deserve to know."
Jaya sighed, pressing her lips together. She should have known they wouldn't believe the excuse so easily.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.
"Okay, Mom. I'll tell you the truth."
Rekha and Chaya waited, their eyes locked on her.
Jaya inhaled deeply. "Ajay lent me the money. But in return, I have to work for him as a maid for a year."
The room fell silent.
"What?" Rekha's weak voice still held enough shock to make Jaya wince.
Chaya's mouth fell open. "Didi, are you serious?"
Jaya nodded, bracing herself.
"No," Rekha said firmly, shaking her head despite her exhaustion. "Absolutely not. I won't allow it."
"Mom, I didn't have a choice," Jaya pleaded. "We were running out of time. You needed the surgery. He helped us, and now I have to repay the debt."
"But working as a maid? That's—"
"I gave him my word," Jaya interrupted. "I can't back out now."
Her mother's eyes filled with tears. "You're my daughter, not a servant. I won't let you do this."
Jaya squeezed her hand gently. "It's only for a year. After that, everything will go back to normal."
Rekha shook her head. "No, Jaya. There has to be another way."
"There isn't," Jaya said quietly.
Chaya looked between them, biting her lip. "Didi, is there really no way out of this?"
Jaya hesitated, but then she nodded. "No. I already agreed."
Her mother's eyes searched hers, looking for something—anything—that would tell her there was another truth hidden beneath Jaya's words.
Because there was.
Jaya had lied.
She hadn't just agreed to work for Ajay.
She had married him.
But she couldn't tell them that. Not yet.
Ajay had given her a week before she had to move in with him. That meant she had a week to figure things out, to find a way to eventually ask for a divorce and return to her normal life.
She just had to survive this one year.
That was all.
She forced a small smile. "It'll be okay, Mom. I promise."
Rekha didn't look convinced, but she didn't have the strength to argue anymore. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "I just want you to be happy, Jaya."
Jaya's smile faltered for a second before she steadied herself.
"I will be."
At least, that's what she told herself.
But deep down, she wasn't so sure.